(OR08-02-25) Assessing the Effectiveness of a Produce Prescription Program on Fruit and Vegetable Intake and Cardiovascular Health in Underserved Communities

Objectives: Health disparities in Doña Ana, NM, and El Paso, TX, are exacerbated by limited access to fresh produce. The "Cultivating Health with Veggie Scripts & Gardening" program at La Semilla Food Center addressed these disparities by providing produce prescriptions and tailored health education to improve dietary habits and cardiovascular health. A total of 132 participants were enrolled in 2024 across three sites. Each participant received produce prescriptions for local fruits, vegetables, and plants.

Methods: A subset of 48 participants underwent fruit and vegetable intake assessments using reflectance spectroscopy (Veggie Meter™), which measures skin carotenoids as a biomarker of dietary intake. Blood pressure (BP) measurements were collected from these participants at baseline and six months. Statistical analyses included paired t-tests to evaluate changes in Veggie Meter™ scores and BP levels within participants.

Results: Of the participants assessed with the Veggie Meter™ (n=48), 68.75% exhibited significant increases in carotenoid levels (p < 0.01), surpassing the program’s target of 60%. Among participants with baseline hypertension (systolic BP ≥140 mmHg or diastolic BP ≥90 mmHg, n=40), 65% experienced reductions in systolic BP (p = 0.002), and 67.5% had reductions in diastolic BP (p = 0.034).

Conclusions: The program demonstrated significant improvements in an objective fruit and vegetable intake measure. The decrease in BP demonstrates a meaningful health outcome that the change in fruit and vegetable intake could explain. This study demonstrates that rather than relying on self-reported intake, which is subject to reporting bias, an objective measure of change in intake showed that the intervention goals were achieved. Furthermore, linking the dietary changes to a meaningful health outcome supports the impact of this produce prescription program.

Funding Sources: The Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program (GusNIP)